Column climber



H. E. ERWIN COLUMN CLIMBER Nov. 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7,1963 R H mm m E w 5 M a V M, i W 2 2 0 4 2 2 5E w. N, a #77 2 7,4 HUT/TL,7

Nov. 19, 1963 H. E. ERWIN' COLUMN CLIMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March7, 1963 INVENTOR HA/PQLD ifqw/N /6' III" United States Patent 3,111,194COLUM'N CLIMBER Harold E. Erwin, 2117 Missouri St, Keoknk, Iowa FiledMar. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 263,625 10 Claims. ((31. 182134) This inventionrelates to an improved climber of extremely simple construction adaptedto be fastene to a shoe or boot and having portions adapted to straddlea flange of a structural member and to assume a binding engagementtherewith when the users weight is placed on the climber to enable theuser to readily climb structural members such as metal I-be-ams,channels or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a climber which is soconstructed that the center of gravity thereof is set inwardly withrespect to an outer edge of the flange of the structural member engagedby the climber, so that said climber will not tend to rock outwardlyrelative to said outer edge of the flange and toward a disengagedposition, even when the weight of the user is shifted outwardly and awayfrom the structural member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a climber having novelmeans to prevent rocking of the climber relative to a flange which isengaged thereby.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a climber which maybe readily adjusted to accommodate flanges of different thicknesses.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of the climberfor use on the left shoe, and shown in an applied position;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view, partly in elevation, takensubstantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan View, partly broken away, illustrating theclimber on the right shoe;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of one element of the climber;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detailed cross sectional view taken along aplane as indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of one element of the climber;

FIGURE 9 is a similar view of another element thereof;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevational view of a slightly modified form of theclimber, and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged side elevational view thereof, partly insect-ion and partly broken away.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and first with reference toFIGURES l to 4 and 6 to 9, the column climber in its entirety andcomprising the invention is designated generally '12, and includes anelongated rigid bar 13 which is preferably formed of strap iron ofsuflicient thickness so that said bar can readily support the weight ofa man without bending. One end of the bar 13 is beveled on its upperside, 'as seen at 14, to provide a sharp bottom edge 15. An arcuatenotch 16, as best seen in FIGURE 9, is cut in the edge 15, intermediateof 3,1 I 1,194 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 ice 2 its ends. The beveledsurface 14, including the edge 15, is hardened or hard surfaced in anyconventional manner. The bar 13 is provided adjacent its ends withlongitudinally extending openings or slots 17 and 18, as seen in FIGURE9. The outer end of the slot 17 terminates adjacent the beveled surface14 while the outer end of the slot 18 terminates adjacent the other endof the bar 13. The slot 18 is preferably narrower and somewhat longerthan the slot 17.

The climber 12 includes a spacing member, designated generally 19, whichis formed from a sheet of metal the side edge portions of which are bentat right angles to form parallel flanges 20 and 20' which are spacedapart a distance to straddle the bar 13 which fits snugly therebetween.The piece from which the spacing member 19 is formed is cut out betweenthe flanges 2-3 and 20, except at the ends thereof, to provide a bridgemember 21 extending between the upper edges of the flanges at one end ofthe spacing member 19 and a bridge member 22 which extends between theupper edges of the flanges 20 and 29' at the other end of said spacingmember 19. As seen in FIGURE 1, the bridge members 21 and 22 have theirundersides disposed flush with the upper edges of the portions of theflanges 2t and 20 disposed between said bridge members so that thebridge members are upwardly oifset relative to said flanges. The widthsof the flanges 20 and 29, between the bridge members 21 and 22,correspond with the thickness of the bar 13, so that when the bridgemembers are resting upon the upper surface of said bar the upper edgesof the flanges 2i? and 29, between the bridge members, are disposedflush with the upper surface of the bar 13 and the bottom edges of saidflanges are disposed flush with the underside of said bar, as seen inFIGURE 1. The spacing member 19 is of a length somewhat less than thedistance between the remote ends of the slots 17 and 18 andsubstantially greater than the distance between the adjacent ends ofsaid slots. The bridge member 21 has a circular opening 23 of a diameterequal to the width of the slot 17 and the bridge member 22 has anelongated slot 24 of a width corresponding to the width of the slot 18.

A column binder clamp, designated generally 25, comprises a yoke-shapedmember of rigid construction, preferably formed from steel plate ofsubstantial thickness as shown and which includes spaced parallel legs26 and 27 and an intermediate portion 2% which extends between andconnects complementary ends of said legs. The leg 27 has a downturnedterminal end 29, which is disposed beyond the terminal end of the leg26, and said leg 27 has an opening 34 which is located nearer thedownturned terminal 29 than the intermediate portion 28. The clamp 25 isbent approximately along a line 31, transversely through theintermediate portion 28, so that the two ends of said inter-mediateportion form an angle of approximately and so that the plane of the leg27 is disposed at an angle of approximately 150 to the plane of the leg26, as seen in FIGURE 1. The portions 26, 27 and 28 form a large recess32 of uniform Width having an open end opening outwardly between theterminal or distal ends of the legs 26 and 27.

A headed bolt 33 extends upwardly through the slot 17 and through theopening 23 of the bridge member 21. Said bolt passes upwardly throughthe opening 30 of the leg 27 for mounting said leg crosswise of the bar13 and spacing member 19 and with its downturned terminal 29 wardly fromthe end of the bar 13 as defined by the sharpened edge 15.

A stationary sole clamp 34 is formed from a single strip of rigid metalhaving a flat apertured end 35 which rests upon the bridge member 21,.which is disposed between said bridge member and a part of the leg 27,and through which the bolt 33 extends. The clamp 34 has an upwardlyextending intermediate portion 36 which bears against the outer edge 37of the leg 27, and a top portion 38 which extends from the upper end ofthe intermediate portion 36 in the opposite direction to the baseportion 35 and which is disposed substantially parallel thereto. A nut39 threadedly engages the upper portion of the bolt 33 and a split lockwasher 40 is mounted on said bolt between the nut 39 and the leg 27 forsecuring all of the .parts engaged by said bolt immovable relative toone another when the nut 39 is tightened.

LAs best seen in FIGURE 3, a headed bolt 41 extends upwardly through theslot 18 and slot 24. A releasable sole clamp, designated generally 42,includes a lever 43 having a disc shaped head 44 at one end thereof. Ashort shaft 45 is secured to the underside of the head 44 and isdisposed eccentrically thereof. The head 44 has an opening 46 whichaligns with a bore 47 of the shaft 45, which opening and bore areeccentrically disposed relative to the head and shaft. A bracing web 48is secured to the underside of the lever 43 and against a portion of theperiphery of the shaft 45. The lower end of the shaft 45 rests on thebridge 22 and the bolt 41 extends upwardly through a bushing 49 whichextends through the opening 46 and bore 47 and which also rests upon thebridge 22 and is of a length to extend slightly above the upper surfaceof the head 44. A nut 50 threadedly engages the upper portion of thebolt 41 and a lock washer 51 is mounted on said bol-t between said nutand the upper end of the bushing 49. Accordingly, when the nuts 39 and50 are tightened, the spacing member and the other parts which engagethe bolts 33 and 41, with the exception of the sole clamp 42, will beimmovably mounted on the :bar 13. The periphery of the shaft 45 includesa cutaway portion forming a flat surface 52 which is disposed remotefrom the axis of the bore 47. A part of the head 44 overlies the surface52. An end 53 of the surface 52, which is disposed remote from the lever43, is disposed more remote from the axis of the bore 47 than any otherportion of the periphery of the shaft 45.

The climber 12 is shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 clamped to the instep 54of the sole of a left shoe 55-. The inner end or edge of the bridge 21and the sole clamp portion 36 abut the inner edge of the instep portion'54, while the sole clamp portion 38 overlies the upper surface of saidinner edge of the sole portion 54. The inner end or edge of the bridge22 and the flat surface 52 abut the outer edge of the instep portion 54,and a part of the disc 44 overlies the upper surface of said outer edgefor securely clamping the climber 12 to the shoe sole with the flange20' abutting the forward or inner end of the shoe heel 56, as seen inFIGURE 3, and with the upper surfac'eof the bar 13 and the upper edgesof the flanges 20 and 20, between the bridge members 21 and 22, bearingagainst the underside of the instep portion 54. In this position thelever 43 extends rearwardly along the outer side of the heel 56. Torelease the climber 12, said lever tion of the periphery of the shaft45, located nearest the bore 47, between said bore and the outer edge ofthe sole 54. During this movement the peripheral portion 53 passesbetween the outer edge of the sole 54 and the bore 47 to effect anunlocking of the sole clamp 42. The lever 43 is swung counterclockwisethrough an arc of approximately to its position of FIGURE 2 for lockingthe climber 12 on the shoe sole 54. As the portion 53 moves between theouter edge of the sole 54 and the bore 47 to effect locking of the clamp42, it will tend to move the climber 12 rearwardly of the sole 54 andagainst the shoe heel 56.

The inner wall 57 of the outer clamp leg 26 is disposed substantiallyparallel to the beveled surface 14, above and outwardly thereof, and theupper edge 58 of said wall 57 forms the biting edge of the clamp 25which cooperates with the biting edge 15. The distance that the edge 58is spaced outwardly from the edge 15 can be varied by sliding thespacing member 19 and the parts supported thereon longitudinally of thebar 13, when the nuts 39 and 50 are loosened, to adjust the climber 12to flanges 59 of different thicknesses.

Assuming that the climber 12 is secured to the left shoe 55 for climbingan upright structural member 60, such as an I-beam, a portion of whichis shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and of which the flange 59 constitutes theleft hand flange, as viewed by the wearer of the climber 12 who isfacing the structural member 60, it will be readily apparent that byturning the left shoe 55 inwardly so that the climber 12 will beinclined downwardly toward the clamp 25, that the flange 59 will bereceived in the notch 32 between the surfaces 14 and 57 when the climberis moved transversely toward said flange 59. The user by then placinghis weight on his 'left foot will cause the climber 12 to rockcounterclockwise to its position of FIGURE 1, so that the edge 15 willbite into the outer surface of the flange 59 while the edge 58 will biteinto the inner surface thereof, to eflectively bind the climber 12 tothe flange 5 9 so that it cannot slip downwardly relative to the column60 while the users weight is supported at least partially thereon. Tomove the climber 12 upwardly or downwardly of the column 60, the weightof the user is transferred therefrom onto a climber attached to theother right foot, which will hereinafter be described, so that the leftfoot can be manipulated to rock the climber 12 clockwise as seen inFIGURE 1 sufl'iciently to release the edges 15 and 58 from bitingengagement with the outer and inner sides, respectively, of the flange59, and so that the climber 12 can then be moved vertically of thecolumn 60, and the operation, previously described, repeated forreclamping the climber to the flange.

It will be noted that the closed end of the recess 32 which abuts theouter edge 61 of the flange 59 is spaced outwardly a substantialdistance laterally from the bar 13, so that the bar 13, which isdisposed perpendicular to the flange 59, is offset inwardly asubstantial distance from the outer edge 61 of the flange toward thevplane of the web 62 of the column 60. Consequently, the center ofgravity of the climber 12 is offset from the outer edge 61 of the flangeinwardly toward the plane of the web 62, to minimize any tendency thatthe climber 12 might have to rock away from the column 60 and toward areleased position, and so at the user will not have to exert a downwardpressure with the forward part of his foot to retain the climber 'incorrect binding engagement with the flange 59. The notch 16 is providedto .divide the edge 15 into two spaced portions. Said two halves of theedge 15 provide, in eifect, two separate biting edges which hold the bar13 against slippage relative to the flange 59 when the users weightshifts as he climbs the column 60, due to the two edges 15 biting intothe outer surface of the flange 59 and preventing the bar 13 fromtwisting relative to the flange about its longitudinal axis.

The nut 50 can be loosened so that the parts cam-ed by the bolt 41,including the sole :clamp 42, may be adjusted longitudinally of thespacing member 19 and bar 13 by sliding the bolt 41 in the slots 18 and24 ofsaid bar 13 and the bridge member 22, respectively, foraccommodating the climber 12 to instep portions 54 of different widths.

It will also be apparent from FIGURE 3 that the climber 12 when appliedto the shoe 55 is upwardly offset relative to the plane of the shoe soleand heel so that the user may walk without inconvenience with theclimber attached to his shoe.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a climber, designated generally 63, for use on theright foot and which is identical to the climber 12 except that thecolumn binder clamp 25a is reversed relative to the clamp 25 so that therecess 32a thereof opens in the opposite direction to the recess 32; andthe releasable sole clamp 42a which is likewise reversed relative to theclamp 42. The clamp 42a, as seen in FIGURE 5, swings forwardly in acounterclockwise direction to it released position to move the surface52a of the shaft 45a to a position outwardly rather than inwardly of thebolt 41a. The bar 13a, spacing member 19a and the other pants of theclimber 63 are identical with corresponding parts of the climber 12.However, in the climber 63 the closed end of the notch 32a is offsetlaterally away from the flange 2.0a, which corresponds to the flange 20of the climber 12. The climber 63 engages the other right hand flange59a of the column 60.

'FIGURES l0 and 11 illustrate a slightly modified form of the climber,designated generally 64, and which is adapted to be worn on rubberinsulated boots, wedgetype soles, and other types of footwear which donot have a conventional, substantially rigid sole to accommodate thesole engaging clamps 34 and 42. Accordingly, the clamp 42 including thebushing 49 and the sole clamp 34 are dispensed with and are replaced bytwo corresponding metal strap anchoring members 65 and 66 each includingan apertured base 67 and an upwardly extending strap portion 68 having atransversely elongated slot or opening 69 near its upper end. The base67 of the member 65 assumes the position normally occupied by the base35, between the leg 27 and the bridge member 21, with the bolt 33extending upwardly therethrough. The part 68 extends upwardly along theinner edge 37 and is flared outwardly thereabove, as seen in FIGURE 11.The base 67 of the other anchor member 66 is disposed between the bridge22 and the lock washer 51 with a bolt 41a extending upwardlytherethrough. The bolt 41a is shorter than the bolt 41. The portion 68of the member .66 extends upwardly on the inner side of the bolt 41a andis flared outwardly thereabove.

One end of a flexible strap 70 is looped through the opening 69 of theanchor member 66 and an end of a flexible strap 71 is looped through theopening 69 of the anchor member 65. One end of a strap 72 is disposed inthe loop of the strap 70 and is anchored to both halves of said loop bya fastening 73, and a similar fastening 73 connects the other end of thestrap 72 to both halves of the loop of the strap 71. The strap 70 has abuckle 74 on its other end for securing the straps 70 and 71 togetherover the instep 75 of a shoe or boot 76 and with the strap 72 extendingaround the shoe counter for holding the bar 13 and spacing member 19against the underside of the linstep portion 77 of the shoe sole andagainst the shoe heel 78, as clearly illustrated in FIGURE 10.

The climber 64 is otherwise identical with the climber 12, and a furtherdescription of its construction and use in connection with the columnflange 59 is considered unnecessary.

VIarious other modifications and changes are contemplated and may beresorted to, without departing from the function or scope of theinvention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A climibing device for climbing flanged structural members comprisingan elongated rigid bar having a beveled inner end defining a bitingedge, an elongated spacing member mounted on said bar, a first fasteningmeans and a second fastening means detachably securing the spacingmember to the bar, footwear engaging means attached to the first andsecond fastening means and adapted to secure the climber to an item offootwear with the bar and spacing member disposed under the footwearsole and crosswise thereof and with said inner bar end protruding froman inner side of the footwear, said first fastening means being disposedadjacent said inner bar end, a column binder comprising an inner leg, anouter leg and an intermediate portion connecting corresponding ends ofsaid legs and combining therewith to define a recess between said legsclosed at one end by said intermediate portion and having an oppositeopen end, said inner leg being engaged by said first fastening means forsecuring the column binder immovably to said bar and spacing member,said outer leg having an inner biting edge disposed parallel to saidbiting edge of the bar and spaced outwardly and upwardly therefrom andadapted to engage an inner surface of a flange of a structural memberthe outer surface of which is engaged by the biting edge of the bar whenthe flange is received in said recess between said inner bar end andsaid outer leg.

2. A climbing device as in claim 1, said outer leg and at least a partof said intermediate portion of the binder clamp being inclineddownwardly and inwardly toward said inner leg, said biting edge of theouter leg being formed by an inner wall and top surface of said outerleg.

3. A climbing device as in claim 1, said first and second fasteningmeans, the spacing member and the parts carried by said fastening meansbeing longitudinally adjustable relative to said bar for varying thespacing between the biting edge of the bar and the biting edge of saidouter leg for accommodating flanges of different thicknesses.

4. A climbing device as in claim 1, said biting edge of the bar beingcomposed of longitudinally spaced end portions for minimizing rocking ortwisting of the bar rela tive to a flange engaged by the biting edges.

5. A climbing device as in claim 1, said intermediate portion of thecolumn binder clamp being laterally offset outwardly from an adjacentside edge of said bar and being adapted to abut an outer edge of theflange for positioning the center of gravity of the climber inwardlywith respect to the outer edge of the flange.

6. A climbing device as in claim 1, said second fastening means beinglongitudinally adjustable relative to the first fastening means, the barand spacing member for varying the spacing between the parts of thefootwear engaging means connected to the first fastening means andsecond fastening means for accommodating footwear items of differentwidths.

7. A climbing device as in claim 1, said footwear engaging meansincluding a stationary rigid clamp connected to said first fasteningmeans and having a part upwardly offset from the bar and spacing memberand adapted to overlie an inner edge portion of the footwear sole, and aclamp rotatively connected to said second fastening means including aflange portion adapted to overlie a part of the upper surface of theouter edge of the sole and an eccentric portion adapted to engageagainst said outer edge and movable toward and away from the stationarysole clamp by rotation thereof for releasably clamping the footwear solebetween said sole clamps.

8. A climbing device as in claim 7, said eccentric portion including asubstantially flat surface disposed remote from the axis of rotationthereof and adapted to abut the footwear sole in a clamping positionthereof, and said flat surface having an end disposed remote from theaxis of rotation of said eccentric portion and movable between said axisof rotation and the shoe sole during rotation of the rotatable clampbetween a locked position and an unlocked position thereof.

9. A climbing device as in claim 1, said footwear engaging meanscomprising anchor members connected to said first fastening means andthe second fastening means and 7 straps secured to said anchoringmembers and forming a detachable harness adapted to engage over aninstep portion and around a counter of the footwear.

10. A climbing dew'ce as in claim 1, said spacing member includingtransversely spaced substantially parallel 5 flanges straddling said barand bridge members extending between the upper edges of the end portionsof said flanges, said bridge members engaging the upper surface 8 of thebar and said fastening means extending through said bridge members.

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSSoderberg Feb. 6, 1962

1. A CLIMBING DEVICE FOR CLIMBING FLANGED STRUCTURAL MEMBERS COMPRISINGAN ELONGATED RIGID BAR HAVING A BEVELED INNER END DEFINING A BITINGEDGE, AN ELONGATED SPACING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BAR, A FIRST FASTENINGMEANS AND A SECOND FASTENING MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING THE SPACINGMEMBER TO THE BAR, FOOTWEAR ENGAGING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE FIRST ANDSECOND FASTENING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO SECURE THE CLIMBER TO AN ITEM OFFOOTWEAR WITH THE BAR AND SPACING MEMBER DISPOSED UNDER THE FOOTWEARSOLE AND CROSSWISE THEREOF AND WITH SAID INNER BAR END PROTRUDING FROMAN INNER SIDE OF THE FOOTWEAR, SAID FIRST FASTENING MEANS BEING DISPOSEDADJACENT SAID INNER BAR END, A COLUMN BINDER COMPRISING AN INNER LEG, ANOUTER LEG AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION CONNECTING CORRESPONDING ENDS OFSAID LEGS AND COMBINING THEREWITH TO DEFINE A RECESS BETWEEN SAID LEGSCLOSED AT ONE END BY SAID INTERMEDIATE PORTION AND HAVING AN OPPOSITEOPEN END, SAID INNER LEG BEING ENGAGED BY SAID FIRST FASTENING MEANS FORSECURING THE COLUMN BINDER IMMOVABLY TO SAID BAR AND SPACING MEMBER,SAID OUTER LEG HAVING AN INNER BITING EDGE DISPOSED PARALLEL TO SAIDBITING EDGE OF THE BAR AND SPACED OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY THEREFROM ANDADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN INNER SURFACE OF A FLANGE OF A STRUCTURAL MEMBERTHE OUTER SURFACE OF WHICH IS ENGAGED BY THE BITING EDGE OF THE BAR WHENTHE FLANGE IS RECEIVED IN SAID RECESS BETWEEN SAID INNER BAR END ANDSAID OUTER LEG.